1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to footware, and, more particularly, to athletic footware used for sports activities including, but not limited to, aerobic dance, jazz exercise, jogging or running. The invention includes a shoe having a lightweight, flexible insert that provides an internal instep support that is adjustable by the wearer of the shoe.
2. Description of the Related Art
The modern athletic shoe is a complex and finely engineered article designed for both the comfort of the wearer and for the protection of the wearer against rigorous stressing forces placed on the foot during athletic activities. Designing the athletic shoe has become a highly refined science calling for expertise in all branches of study. Athletes, and the general public for that matter, are no longer satisfied with the old "sneakers" of yesteryear. Athletic shoes today are as varied in design and purpose as the activities for which they are worn. Shoes have been designed to provide the wearer with optimum performance for such specific activities as tennis, racquetball, football, golf, weightlifting, aerobic dance, running, jogging, etc. Each individual type of shoe is designed to provide a unique and specific combination of traction, support, and protection to enhance the athletic performance of its user.
Shoe design does not stop merely with creating a generic "football" shoe, but continues to provide a shoe that is further designed to meet and adapt to the specific characteristics of the individual user. For example, a relatively heavy user has a differently structured shoe than the shoe used by a relatively light user. Other shoes provide devices to support various parts of the foot, such as the instep or the metatarsal area, or shock absorption devices to prevent physical problems from developing.
An athletic shoe is divided into two general parts, an upper and a sole. The upper is designed to snugly and comfortably enclose the foot. The sole must provide traction, protection, and a durable wear surface.
Activities promoting physical fitness have undergone a recent surge in popularity due to the public's increased awareness of the benefits of a regular regimen of exercise in our modern sedentary society. Physical activities that place a great deal of emphasis on movement rely on a good shoe to provide the necessary traction, protection and support to the participant's feet in order to provide more helpful than harmful results.
In general, shoes required for physically demanding activities, such as aerobic dance and jazz exercise, must have a unique combination of comfort, flexibility, shock absorption, protection and foot support that is lacking in other forms of athletic shoe. Accordingly, shoes designed for other athletic activities are not appropriate as all purpose athletic footware.
Shoes currently used in sports such as jogging, aerobic dance, and the like, are shoes having an upper with a thin outsole in the forefoot and heel areas and a non-cushioning inner liner. Such general purpose shoes offer little protection against typical sporting foot injuries such as bruises, fallen arches, and tendon and ligament injuries due to shock forces. However, protective or supporting devices to minimize these problems have not been incorporated into such general purpose athletic shoes due to a desire to keep the tactile sensitivity of the foot at a maximum and the shoe weight down to a minimum.